1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to hydraulic lifts for aiding disabled individuals. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hydraulic lift for aiding access to and egress from a swimming pool by a disabled individual.
2. Description of The Related Art
Hydraulic swimming pool lifts for the disabled are generally known in the art. Such lifts are conventionally constructed of a hydraulically driven piston within a cylinder which drives a seat portion from a lower position in the pool to a higher position above the pool. Typically, a 90.degree. rotation is used to move the seat portion from the water area to the deck area. The cylinder is generally affixed to the deck surface by a simple bracket.
For safety and regulatory concerns it is desirable for such lifts to be able to carry and function properly with a weight three times the lift's rated capacity without permanent deformation or damage. It is common for pool lifts to be rated at four hundred pounds. Accordingly, for a lift rated at a four hundred pound capacity, it is desirable for it to function, without permanent deformation, while holding a 1,200 pound test load in all positions.
Testing reveals that many conventional lifts cannot perform adequately at three times their rated load. In fact, the performance of some lifts is questionable even at the rated capacity. When tested with a 400 pound live load, a conventional lift slowed to an unacceptable rate and required the weight to be removed in order for the lift to finish a cycle. Additionally, major structural damage even under the reduced load has been observed in testing conventional lifts. For example, the once vertical piston and cylinder bent and twisted, and were eventually displaced from the vertical by more than several degrees. During high capacity testing, the load often became unbalanced and would pull the lift out of position, creating a dangerous situation for a person in the lift, or its next occupant.